Nothing lasts forever, and no, we’re not talking about your most recent ex—we’re talking about consumer products you use every day that you didn’t know weren’t supposed to last forever, like a towel, shoes, and even car seats. Here, we’ve listed 18 things you didn’t know have expiration dates. Whoops!
BEDROOM
Pillows: 2-3 years
Think about it. You sleep with your pillow every night. You pull it, punch it, and roll it until you are comfortable. This natural wear and tear can cause the pillow to lose its shape and leads to neck pain from lack of support. It also becomes a home for dust mites.
Slippers: 6 months
Slippers are cozy footwear to change into after a long day in heels and uncomfortable shoes. Unfortunately, they are also a fitting environment for the spreading of fungal infections. Therefore, be sure to wash your slippers as often as possible. Many types can be cleaned easily in the washing machine or by hand.
BATHROOM
Sponge: 2 weeks & Shower Pouf: 6 months
Shower utensils can breed fungus and mold. Don’t use expired sponges and poufs to clean your body! For natural and synthetic shower poufs, boil them in hot water to kill growing bacteria.
Towel: 1-3 years
Do you wash and machine dry your towels after every bath and shower? It’s more probable you hang them on a hook to air dry. These damp towels are an optimal environment for bacteria growth. Routinely washing towels after they fermented in their wet state won’t solve the problem.
Toothbrush: 3 months
We all know we are supposed to replace our toothbrushes when the bristles begin to wear down. You should also buy a new on after a cold or a bout of flu to prevent you from getting sick again from the germs.
DRESSER
Hairbrush: 1 year
Brushes should be cleaned thoroughly once a week and replaced yearly. If you use a hairbrush with natural boar bristle, you should buy a new one every 7 to 10 months.
Perfume &, Eau de toilette: 1-3 years
Perfumes with essential oils can last for three years when they are closed and two years when they are opened. Eau de toilette are fine for four years when closed and two years when opened.
NURSERY
Pacifier: 2-5 weeks
Latex pacifier must be replaced, regardless of their condition and how long they are used. Latex easily breaks, and the cracks breed germs.
Child car seats: 6-10 years
The plastic and foam deteriorate over time, losing the shape of the seat until it can no longer protect the child. It’s more ideal to buy a new car seat for your child instead of a secondhand version.
WARDROBE
Bra: 1-2 years
Let’s face it: bras don’t last forever. As soon as they begin to bend out of shape, lose its elasticity, feels too big or too small, or becomes uncomfortable overall, it’s time to ditch it and get a new one.
Running shoes: 1 year
Even if you are not a marathon runner or a gym hermit, once your sneaks hit 250-300 miles, their cushioning begins breaking down. This brings unnecessary stress to your joints.
KITCHEN
Spices: 1-3 years
Spices lose their smell and taste over extended periods of time. Ground spices, in particular, should not be kept more than six months. So if you find a large bottle of nutmeg that you never use, it’s a good time to pitch it.
Flour: 6-12 months
First-grade flour can be kept for six months. High-grade flour can be stored for about a year.
PANTRY
Fire extinguishers: 15 years
If you notice any damage to your fire extinguisher, such as cracks in the hose, you should have it corrected as soon as possible.
Power strips: 1-2 years
Power strips are usually found at the electrical center of any home, plugging in the toaster, the electric kettle, the iPod charger, the cell phone charger, the tablet charger, the laptop charger, and more chargers. Yet power strips have their limitations. If you exceed the capacity, it can go bad can result in serious problems.
Disinfectants: 3 months
After three months of use, disinfectants begin to lose their effectiveness.
Mosquito repellents: 2 years
If you only take out the bug spray for your annual summer camp-out, don’t bother bringing it for the third and fourth year. After two years the repellent becomes useless
